Buying in-store: can the box remain unopened?

[JohnJSal]

Is there anything about an in-store purchase that requires the box to be opened or the phone handled. I'd rather it not be and I can just activate it myself when I get home. Is it necessary to open the box in order for them to change your plan, use your price discount, etc.? Or is it just for activating? Are stores required to activate it before you leave?

Thanks.

 

[gameday26]

They activate it no matter what, you cant just buy the phone. Even if you pay full price for it. I had this happen to me.

 

[JohnJSal]

They activate it no matter what, you cant just buy the phone. Even if you pay full price for it. I had this happen to me.

Ugh, why is that necessary? It's no different than ordering it online if you just walk out with the box...

 

[freeza]

Yes you can leave the store without it unopened. I have done this plenty of times.

The "i'm in a hurry excuse" usually works. More recently, I've tried the honest approach "look I just want my phone unopened so I can go home and handle it myself." and they let me do it just fine. There is NO need for them to take your phone out to activate it. The barcode on the box contains everything needed to activate from a simple scan.

 

[JohnJSal]

Yes you can leave the store without it unopened. I have done this plenty of times.

The "i'm in a hurry excuse" usually works. More recently, I've tried the honest approach "look I just want my phone unopened so I can go home and handle it myself." and they let me do it just fine. There is NO need for them to take your phone out to activate it. The barcode on the box contains everything needed to activate from a simple scan.

Yeah, I would simply tell them, just don't touch my phone. I can activate it later. All that seems necessary for them to do is to apply my two-year discount and renew my contract, which I don't think you need the phone for.

 

[edlex]

Anoher reason why I only buy from sprint.com.

 

[jgalan14]

yeah just make something up, you paid for it they don't need to just tell them before they try to activate it tho

 

[ScorpDX]

Yes you can leave with it unopened. The phones progrom themselves now with your profile "Update Profile". They just scan the barcode for the numbers needed and enter it into the computer. When you ESN tries to update the profile the sprint computer and the phone link up and do the actually programming.

There is no need at all for it to be opened. I let them open mine but he handed it all to me and never touched it. I did the setup and all first time crap while the clerk did the changes to the account on the computer. Clerk never touched the phone other than to hand it to me right out of the box.

 

[imthekiller]

Don't be a nancy. This isn't a big deal.

 

[clwoodwork]

Don't be a nancy. This isn't a big deal.

Sure it is, it's like having someone open your Christmas presents then playing with them and then when they are done you get it. Ewee

Peace, Chuck

 

[wase4711]

yeah, and the sales person might have the dreaded cooties on his hands before he touches that precious phone....

 

[italianwjt]

I take it you don't want your contacts transfered? Plus, as said earlier, rebate.

 

[docprego]

I'm with the OP on this, I absolutely hate it when the representatives handle my phone. To me it is a major event, I've been planning it for weeks, waiting for my upgrade, thinking about cases and screen protectors. To the rep it's just the next phone out the door and they are careless (not intentionally but it's just not the event to them that it is to me). I always think to myself that if I was the rep I would go out of my way to keep my fingerprints off their brand new screen, but this never happens to me when I buy a new phone.

One way I have found to combat this awkward situation is to ask the rep to leave the factory plastic on the phone, they never seem to have an issue with that. If I had my preference I would walk out with the phone NIB.

 

[Deleted User]

I take it you don't want your contacts transfered or do u not have any friends? Plus, as said earlier, rebate.

Contacts transferred? Must be some old antiquated system you speak of.

With Android/Google Contacts, once you log in to the phone, there they are. Google even has utilities to upload your contacts from your old non-Android phones.

 

[One Beast]

Geez You people are taking this a bit far huh....You wanna pick your new car up at the factory when it comes off the assembly line?.....The phone had to be handled to get in the box in the first place your reason is already void.....

But its YOUR phone so don't mind me.... Thats just my view

 

[Deleted User]

Geez You people are taking this a bit far huh....You wanna pick your new car up at the factory when it comes off the assembly line?

Of the 4 new cars I've bought, none of them have ever had 1 whole mile on them.. so, yeah, it's about as close to the factory floor as you can get

 

[novarider]

Of the 4 new cars I've bought, none of them have ever had 1 whole mile on them.. so, yeah, it's about as close to the factory floor as you can get

It was sill driven! The guy that loaded it on the tailor, the guy that unloaded it from the tailor, the detail guy. Not to mention the number of people who sat in it before you bought it.

I understand the excitement but not wanting them to handle it because they get fingerprints on the screen? You can't clean the screen? What happens if you take it home and you got a bad phone? Now you gotta stop playing with yourself, put the lube away, wash yourself off... Cmon guys.

 

[edlex]

I heard of certain bb stores that were downloading task killers without the customers permission. I think I would hurt someone if they did that to me.

 

[italianwjt]

Contacts transferred? Must be some old antiquated system you speak of.

With Android/Google Contacts, once you log in to the phone, there they are. Google even has utilities to upload your contacts from your old non-Android phones.

I recently switched from tmobile and never had a need for a gmail account.